Saving Seafood

NEW BEDFORD STANDARD-TIMES: New leader of NOAA Fisheries knows his mission

June 25, 2017 — Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross has appointed Chris Oliver as the new Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries, with blessings from the White House, a broad swath of fisheries stakeholders, and an enthusiastic group of local stakeholders.

Some five dozen fishing organizations, companies and advocates have been pleased with the outcome of the process that selected Mr. Oliver from among three candidates.

Mr. Oliver’s explicit responsibility will be oversight of management and conservation of the nation’s fisheries — commercial and recreational — inside the coastal fisheries habitat found within the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone established by the United Nations.

According to NOAA, while executive director of the Alaska-based North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, he “led the way on several cutting edge management initiatives,” including developing the programs that regulate fishery quota, fishing cooperatives and catch share programs such as we see in the Northeast, the Alaska fishery’s onboard observer program, bycatch reduction programs, habitat protection, allocation programs, and community development programs. This familiarity will leaves us more certain that the progress made in management of the challenging multispecies fishery can continue. It is far from perfect, but the moves toward fleet collaboration and consideration of fishing communities could stand to continue in the Northeast.

“I understand how important stakeholder involvement, transparency, and best available science are to making the right policy decisions and I plan to ensure those tenets of the Magnuson-Stevens Act are applied across the board while I am leading the agency,” he was quoted as saying by the NOAA press release that announced his appointment last Monday. “I intend to rely heavily upon the regional expertise of the eight fishery management Councils and the associated NOAA Fisheries Regions and Science Centers, and to ensure they have the resources necessary to effectively tackle region-specific issues.”

A federal budget has yet to be passed, and the Trump administration has already signaled it wants to see cuts at NOAA, particularly on weather and climate research, but not necessarily on fisheries (perhaps ignorant of the return on investment climate data delivers for fisheries industry and management alike). Mr. Oliver, as he was quoted above, wants to see the resources available to remedy “region-specific issues.” The list for the Northeast council and the Greater Atlantic Region includes untangling the influence of Carlos Rafael upon the groundfish fishery, besides trying to manage a multi-species fishery in a dynamic ecosystem in some of the fastest rising ocean temperatures on Earth.

Read the full opinion piece at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Alaskan appointed to head U.S. fisheries management for NOAA

June 20, 2017 — Chris Oliver of Anchorage has been appointed to manage fisheries nationally for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Trump administration announced Tuesday.

Oliver has since 2000 led the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, for which he has worked for 27 years. He gained broad support for the position from fisheries groups and members of Alaska’s congressional delegation.

Oliver’s first day as assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries was Tuesday. He relocated to the Washington area for the job. The position is a political appointment but does not require Senate confirmation.

Oliver said in a statement that he plans “to make long-term sustainability the top priority, while looking for ways to maximize fishing opportunities for the benefit of recreational and commercial fishermen, processors, coastal communities, and the economies which depend upon them.”

“Oliver’s background and expertise will be an asset at NOAA Fisheries as they work to reduce our nation’s $11 billion seafood trade deficit,” said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

The agency is responsible for managing sustainable U.S. fisheries under the Department of Commerce, as well as recovery and protection of species of whales, sea turtles and corals.

Read the full story at Alaska Dispatch News

N.J. fishermen make their case to feds as fluke battle rages on

June 20, 2017 — With New Jersey’s summer flounder fishing industry on the line, Garden State officials made their case to NOAA fisheries on Tuesday afternoon.

In a hearing with the federal agency, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection officials argued that the state’s regulations for summer flounder (or fluke) fishing reach conservation equivalency with new federal regulations.

The cornerstone of New Jersey’s argument: That the state’s proposed regulations will actually preserve more of the summer flounder stock than the measures being put forth by the feds.

Tuesday’s call was closed to the press, but in a statement following the call NJDEP spokesperson Bob Considine described it as a “good discussion.” He added that New Jersey emphasized its plan would protect more breeding females, thus making a brighter outlook for the future of the fluke stock.

The showdown between NOAA and New Jersey fishermen has been building throughout the spring. On June 1, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission declared New Jersey to be out of compliance with fluke regulations.

The dispute is now being considered by NOAA Fisheries, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, for a final decision. If the out-of-compliance finding is upheld, a moratorium on fluke fishing in New Jersey could be instated until the state returns to compliance.

Read the full story at NJ.com

Chris Oliver Appointed to Lead NOAA Fisheries

June 20, 2017 — Chris Oliver, the former Executive Director of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, has the support of much of the commercial fishing industry. Earlier this year, over 55 companies and fishing organizations, including several National Coalition for Fishing Communities members, wrote to the Trump Administration in support of Mr. Oliver’s nomination.

The following release was published today by NOAA:

Today, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, with concurrence from the White House, named Chris Oliver Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. The Texas native assumed his new position on June 19, taking the helm from Acting Assistant Administrator Samuel Rauch who will return to his position as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs.

As the agency’s new Assistant Administrator, Oliver will oversee the management and conservation of recreational and commercial fisheries including some aspects of marine aquaculture, the preservation and maintenance of safe sources of seafood, and the protection of marine mammals, marine protected species, and coastal fisheries habitat within the U.S. exclusive economic zone. He will also manage an agency with a strong presence nationally with 4,800 people in five regional offices, six science centers, and 24 labs and fish stations in 15 states and U.S. territories.

Oliver most recently served as Executive Director of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, a position he held for the past 16 years. He has been with the Council since 1990, also serving as a fisheries biologist and then deputy director. During his tenure as executive director he led the way on several cutting edge management initiatives, including development of limited access privilege programs and fishery cooperatives and catch share programs, the North Pacific’s comprehensive onboard observer program, numerous bycatch reduction programs, extensive habitat protection measures, commercial and recreational allocation programs, and coastal community development programs. He was also responsible for all administrative and operational aspects of the Council process, and lead staffer for legislative and international issues.

“I understand how important stakeholder involvement, transparency, and best available science are to making the right policy decisions and I plan to ensure those tenets of the Magnuson-Stevens Act are applied across the board while I am leading the agency,” he said. “I intend to rely heavily upon the regional expertise of the eight fishery management Councils and the associated NOAA Fisheries Regions and Science Centers, and to ensure they have the resources necessary to effectively tackle region-specific issues.”

Through his long-time participation in the Council Coordination Committee and various international regional fishery management organizations, Oliver gained extensive knowledge of the national and international fisheries issues facing the agency.

Originally from Rockport, Texas, Oliver was also a Research Associate at Texas A&M University from 1987-1990, working with federal and state agencies on management issues associated with Gulf of Mexico shrimp fisheries, giving him both personal and professional experience with fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. He holds a BBA in Business Management and a Master’s degree in Fisheries Science, both from Texas A&M. Oliver enjoys many outdoor activities and is an avid hunter and fisherman. He and his wife Maggie of 34 years have two sons, Christopher and Nicholas.

“I look forward to leading NOAA Fisheries and working with our partners to rebuild U.S. fisheries and conserve and recover protected resources where necessary, promote domestic marine aquaculture production where appropriate, maintain our reputation for world-renowned science and analysis, and do so while maximizing fishing opportunities for the benefit of recreational and commercial fishermen, processors, and the coastal communities which depend on them for generations to come,” said Oliver.

Read the release from NOAA

Maine congressional delegation asks forfeited groundfish permits be redistributed through Northeast

June 19, 2017 — Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King and Reps. Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin sent a letter Monday to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross asking that the 13 groundfish permits forfeited by Carlos Rafael — a New Bedford fisherman who has pleaded guilty to 28 federal counts of tax evasion, falsifying fishing quotas and conspiracy — be redistributed to fishermen throughout the Northeast, not only New Bedford.

In their letter, the Maine congressional delegation said that groundfish permits embody a shared resource and, as such, should be returned to groundfish fishermen in “a fair and uniform manner.”

“Mr. Rafael’s grave and extensive disregard for both the law and sustainable fishing practices is a setback to the recovery of the beleaguered Northeast multispecies (groundfish) fishery, and has done, and will continue to do, financial harm to fishermen from Maine to New York,” the delegation wrote.

“These fishermen, who have complied with federal quotas and regulations, were forced to compete with this illegal activity and now must endure its repercussions on future stock assessments,” they wrote. “For these reasons, we believe the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) should cancel each of the groundfish permits that Mr. Rafael currently holds and reallocate the fishing privileges associated with such permits to all eligible permit holders in the fleet.

“We are specifically troubled that the City of New Bedford (where Mr. Rafael’s enterprise is based) is seeking to acquire control of his permits. We believe, instead, that all members of the fleet, including those in New Bedford, who have been disadvantaged by Mr. Rafael’s illegal activity, deserve a share of the rights to access these permits once remanded back to NMFS,” the delegation wrote.

Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News

DENNIS NIXON: Cuts in grants, programs would hurt oceans

June 17, 2017 — On May 31, President Donald Trump proclaimed June 2017 “National Oceans Month,” in recognition of “the mighty oceans and their extraordinary resources.”

His declaration calls U.S. fisheries resources “among the most valuable in the world,” and calls for more fully exploring the ocean and developing its economy. He cites the importance of expanding offshore energy resources — traditional as well as renewable — and increasing seafood exports to reduce America’s $13 billion seafood trade deficit.

This announcement is stunning to those of us involved in marine research and education, coming as it does a week after the administration’s budget proposal to slash the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by 16 percent, or nearly $1 billion. NOAA, as its name implies, is responsible for the research, management, and support for the ocean exploration and economic development that the president calls for, and many of the areas specifically targeted for cuts would reduce U.S. capacity in offshore energy and seafood production.

Speaking from personal experience as the director of Rhode Island Sea Grant — which, as part of the NOAA budget, would be “terminated” along with the $73 million National Sea Grant College Program that encompasses 33 state programs — I can say that one such example is the development of the nation’s first offshore wind farm in the waters off Block Island.

At the behest of the state, and with partners at the Coastal Resources Management Council and with research and outreach efforts at the University of Rhode Island, Roger Williams University and beyond, Rhode Island Sea Grant and the URI Coastal Resources Center helped lead a team that amassed seafloor mapping, scientific and engineering studies and stakeholder input to determine the best location for the turbines.

Without programs like Sea Grant and the coastal council — also targeted for cuts — the nation’s ambitious proposals for offshore wind farms would still be in the blueprint stage, marred by controversies over siting and user conflicts.

In a recent House Appropriations Committee hearing, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross echoed the president’s concern regarding the seafood trade deficit. “The whole fishing scene is very intriguing to me in that I’m obsessed with the problem that we have a $13 billion trade deficit in fish and fish products. … With all the water surrounding us and all the lakes and rivers, it seems weird that we should have a deficit, so that’s one of the areas we’re going to be focusing very much on,” Ross said, according to a report in E&E News.

Read the full story at the Providence Journal

Compromise solution floated on red snapper season

June 12, 2017 — A possible extension of the federal red snapper season could be coming soon, according to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Acting Commissioner Chris Blankenship has taken part in talks with federal officials to possibly extend the federal season for recreational fishing to Labor Day weekend.

The negotiations have included leaders from across the state and other officials in Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida and Texas, as well as officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Each state is working out how a compromise could work for its waters.

For Alabama, the current proposal would create a 27-day season that could begin as soon as June 17 to allow fishing in federal waters every Saturday and Sunday until after Labor Day weekend. The newly proposed season would also include July 3 and 4.

In order to get that deal, state officials would have to give up allowed days of fishing in state waters. Fishermen are allowed in Alabama waters, that extend nine nautical miles from the shore, to fish until July 31.

Under the proposed compromise, the state would give up the ability for fishermen to fish within their waters Monday through Friday.

Baldwin County Commissioner Chris Elliott said he and other elected officials across the county had asked for a similar season extension in letters they sent to President Trump and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, and added he felt this compromise might be a possible solution.

Read the full story at The Islander

Trump administration pledges to do more with less for U.S. aquaculture

June 5, 2017 — “Aquaculture is not the future of oyster harvests. It’s the present,” said Mark Luckenbach – Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

Luckenbach, based at the VIMS lab at Wachapreague, told me those words 11 years ago, when I wrote my first story about oyster aquaculture. Since then, I’ve written more than 100 stories on the topic, and someday, I hope, I’ll write a book. One thing is sure: the present has taken a long time to arrive – not just in the Chesapeake Bay, but all over the country.

Eighty to 90 percent of the seafood eaten in the United States is imported, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In Baltimore, where I live, the crabmeat at my local grocery store is not from the Chesapeake Bay. The salmon is not from this country. And striped bass? Never seen it there, though I live just an hour from where one could catch some of the nicest rockfish you could find anywhere.

NOAA officials want to change what they’re calling a $14 billion seafood trade deficit. At a webinar last week, agency officials said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who oversees NOAA, is committed to “eliminating barriers” to growing aquaculture here in the United States.

In Maryland, we know well some of these barriers as they relate to growing oysters. Would-be growers have spent years awaiting permission to put oysters in the water, even though the bivalves filter the water, increase biodiversity, and even spur recruitment for the Bay’s long-troubled wild oyster population, which is less than 1 percent of historic levels.

On a conference call during the webinar, federal officials touted Maryland’s permit innovations as a success. (They didn’t mention that oyster farmers have blamed NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service for some of those delays, relating to the possible impact of oyster farming on endangered marine turtles.) Maryland worked with the Baltimore District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to streamline the permit process. State and federal officials, as well as oyster farmers, report it is working more smoothly now. (NOAA officials said they had an “ombudsman” role in the process.)

Read the full story at the Bay Journal

Feds threaten shutdown of N.J. fishery as showdown escalates

June 2, 2017 — Call it the Great Flounder War of 2017.

A simmering battle between New Jersey recreational fisherman and the federal agency governing fishing along the Atlantic Coast has now escalated — with potentially disastrous consequences for the fishermen.

In a teleconference on Thursday morning, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) officially found New Jersey to be out of compliance with federal regulations. The decision follows months of wrangling between the two sides, casting shadow over the opening of summer flounder (sometimes called fluke) fishing season.

The matter is now headed to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross for a final decision. If Ross agrees with the recommendation, both recreational and commercial fluke fishing could end up banned altogether in the Garden State.

The clash began in February, when the ASMFC announced stricter rules for fishing fluke coast-wide in order to address overfishing worries. The ASMFC called for a a 19-inch minimum on fishes caught, with a three fish limit per trip over a 128-day season.

New Jersey’s Marine Fisheries Council immediately pushed back and created its own rules as a compromise: a shorter fishing season (104 days from May 25 to Sept. 5 — 24 fewer days than were allowed in 2016), but an 18-inch minimum.

Read the full story at NJ.com

Sen. Luther Strange to Trump: Extend federal red snapper season

May 31, 2017 — U.S. Sen. Luther Strange joined a growing list of lawmakers on Wednesday requesting immediate action from President Donald Trump’s administration to extend this year’s recreational red snapper season.

Strange’s request comes on the eve of the beginning of the recreational season within federal waters. The season is scheduled to run from Thursday through Saturday, making it the shortest recreational season ever for red snapper fishing in the Gulf of Mexico’s federal waters.

Federal waters extend beyond the nine-nautical mile boundary that is currently controlled by the five Gulf states.

“Recreational red snapper fishing generates hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity every year in Alabama, and those who participate deserve to be able to enjoy their hobby for more than a mere three days each year,” said Strange in a statement posted on his Senate website. “I have urged the President to take action, and I look forward to working with him, as well as (Commerce) Secretary (Wilbur) Ross, to make sure that the voices of recreational anglers are heard.”

Read the full story at AL.com